Congressman Bennie Thompson

Representing the District of Mississippi

Civil Rights

As the ever developing advancements of modern technology bring our world closer together our nation increasingly comes face to face with the factors affecting and influencing the melting pot which is our society. Coupled with the nation’s fears and anxieties in the wake of 9/11, these factors have begun to bring to the forefront just how important it will be for law and policy makers to ensure that the civil rights and liberties of all United State citizens are preserved and protected. It has been Congressman Thompson’s charge to support the fairness and equity as expressed in the Titles of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Congressman Thompson believes providing for fair and non-discriminatory practices in our schools, job sectors, and communities will prove to be vital in this country’s plans for a future where we out build, out educate and out innovate the rest of the world.

Congressman Thompson has diligently fought to reverse discrimination in the higher education system of Mississippi as an original plaintiff in the Ayers Desegregation Case. He has historically used the court system as an avenue for change on the local, state and federal levels; lawsuits include efforts to have duly elected officials assume office, state redistricting efforts and played an instrumental role in the Black farmers case - paving the way for more than 20,000 farmers to file under the consent decree.

Congressman Thompson believes that our courts should provide rulings of non-biased justice, that hiring and promotional practices should flow evenly and fluidly across genders lines, that small business owners should be afforded the opportunity to take advantage of expansion opportunities which will aid in their development and growth and that the everyday citizens should be able to function without the threat of encroachment or violation of their civil rights. To this end, the efforts of Congressman Thompson have been and continue to be towards the vigilant monitoring, protection and preservation of the civil rights of each and every citizen of this country.

For more information about current measures concerning the protection of civil rights, or if you are looking for assistance in resolving an issue, please take out a moment to review the sites below:

The House Committee on the Judiciary - Subcommittee on Civil rights

http://democrats.judiciary.house.gov/

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

http://www.eeoc.gov/

The U.S. Department of Justice – Civil Rights Division

http://www.justice.gov/crt/

The U.S. Office of Special Council

http://www.osc.gov/

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

http://www.usccr.gov/index.html

The U.S. Department of Education – Office for Civil Rights

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/know.html